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Wednesday, September 26, 2012

#IndieAuthor Checklist: 8 Steps to #SelfPublishing

One of my online buddies has been bugging me for a checklist on how to self-publish. Instead of rehashing what others have written, I will summarize my journey in 8 easy steps through blog posts I wrote along the way.

Proofread, Format, and Design CoverDo not skimp on this step. People really do judge a book by the cover and appearances. There is nothing more off-putting then finding a book with run-on paragraphs or tab/line-break issues. Remember, an ebook flows differently than a print book. When you format for an e-book, do not leave blank lines. On small devices like an iPhone, your reader may end up with a blank page. Do not use tabs for paragraphs, use the paragraph format to control the indentation. And do not use "hard-hyphenization" because you never know where a line will end on someone's e-reader. And finally, proofread after formatting. You never know what artifacts could have been introduced. Ebook formatting is not difficult if you follow the publishers' guidelines, however if you need a hand, I provide formatting services.See Ebook Formatting: What is NCX View?

For more about self-publishing, take a course from Fostering-Success.com and learn about Social Networking, Marketing and Promotion. Here's a message from Melissa Foster, founder of World Literary Cafe and Fostering Success:

Support from others in your field can mean the difference between rattling around for hours trying to find your way and having a host of people ready to answer your questions, hold your hand, and show you the path. The World Literary Cafe (WLC) is based on the spirit of paying-it-forward in the literary community. We are a community of independent and traditionally published authors, reviewers, bloggers, and other literary service providers, and we welcome you to join us.

What about you? Do you have tips for new self-publishing authors? Websites or book suggestions? Please post them in the comments below.